It has been a great Thanksgiving weekend. Here's my New York buck taken Thanksgiving morning at 7:35. He was following 5 does back to a bedding area when I intercepted him. A 10-point (main frame 8 with split brow tines), an 18¾" inside spread 20+ outside. The most impressive thing, he weighed 170 pounds field dressed. He would have been over 200 pounds live weight! That's almost unheard of around here.

I saw four does coming, and scoped them for antlers. I began to relax but then a fifth came along behind -- also a doe. I thought, maybe there'd be another, and here he came. I didn't waste time looking at the antlers. He went right down when I pulled the trigger on my 7mm-08.

This is a very big deer for these parts, especially the body size. His neck was the thickest I've ever seen on a buck around here.

Then, four days later on opening day in Pennsylvania I shot another 10-point, again at 7:35 AM. Just as I arrived at the spot I wanted to watch, a doe got up from her bed about 30 yards away. She must have heard me, but didn't see or smell me. As she stood there looking around, she finally saw me and bolted. I stood there for a minute or two, and a buck walked into view about 80 yards away; then another bigger one. My bullet took off the top of his heart, and he ran about 100 yards.

He's another 10-point; he weighed 140 pounds field dressed.

Where I live, a deer hunter can't have a much better weekend than this -- over 300 pounds of venison, and right around 250 inches of antler in the space of four days.

Every season certainly isn't like this, but I'm thankful for this one. I've never shot a 10-point before, and now I have two. (Anyone know a good, inexpensive, taxidermist?)

Steve.

When the Everyday Hunter isn't hunting, he's thinking about hunting, talking about hunting, dreaming about hunting, writing about hunting, or wishing he were hunting.

"Anyone know a good, inexpensive, taxidermist?)" I don't think these words are allowed to be used together. Around here, you can expect about $300. each for a simple mound, and I have seen a couple of discount deer mounts that looked like the deer was sick. You get what you pay for. Cost would be a big reason why I don't hunt bones. But to each his own. On the other hand, very nice deer. Well done, Sir.

The only real difference between a good tracker and a bad tracker is observation. All the same data is present for both. The rest is understanding what you are seeing.

kellory wrote:"Anyone know a good, inexpensive, taxidermist?)" I don't think these words are allowed to be used together. Around here, you can expect about $300. each for a simple mound, and I have seen a couple of discount deer mounts that looked like the deer was sick. You get what you pay for. Cost would be a big reason why I don't hunt bones. But to each his own. On the other hand, very nice deer. Well done, Sir.

Thanks.

Yes, those words are kinda like "jumbo shrimp." I recognize there's an inherent contradiction in the words "inexpensive taxidermist." Here, the going rate for shoulder mount is $450-$550. I took the first buck to the taxidermist before I got the second one, and getting both done to the tune of $1000 is pretty steep, even for a rich guy like me (LOL). I'm confident I've given the first one to a good taxidermist, but I'm not sure what to do with the second one. I'd love to have shoulder mounts of both, but to get the second one done it will have to be a real bargain. My fall-back idea is a European mount -- not a bad choice if I go that route.

Anyway, two 10-points in four days -- they'll have to be displayed together. I think that's a law.

Steve.

When the Everyday Hunter isn't hunting, he's thinking about hunting, talking about hunting, dreaming about hunting, writing about hunting, or wishing he were hunting.

That is truely a great 4 days and a great accomplishment. Congrats!I was able to do something like that last year in Ohio and Indiana.. I killed an 8 point in ohio with my bow on a wednesday and drove to indiana and killed another one with a muzzleloader saturday. It was the most amazing week of my hunting career.

If you really are looking for a good, less expensive taxidermist.. I went to Eric Moyer from elderton pa last year.I paid right around $325 per mount and he did great work.I was very nervous, I had been sent to him by my uncle. The guy I usually go to charges $475 and does amazing work, but in this situation, I was looking for a little cheaper.Long story short, you cannot tell a difference between my mounts from my regular guy and from Eric. I will def go back to him.If you want his contact info, let me know.He does it all on the side. He is a school teacher that does most of his work over summer. Usually about August is when you can pick up your mounts, which still is not bad considering the price and quality.

Congrats on the two really nice bucks. Will definately be a year or 4 days to remember.

As everyone has said " cheap taxidermist" is an oxymoron. The going rate around here is $525 for a shoulder mount and $50 for the plack. Why I don't get many mounted but took one in this year. Ouch ...especially for an " ole retarded" guy.

Been a lot of nice deer taken this year. I think the mild winter we had last year helped.

I killed 2 nice bucks last year... I did a European mount of the 10 point I killed with my bow, and I had a shoulder mount done of the shotgun 8 point. I killed the bow buck in early November, and I decided I was going to do a European mount because I knew there were bigger bucks around that I had a shot at with gun season coming up. It was really cheap, cost me about $15 for the pot to boil it in and about $2 for the spray paint to finish it off.

I got a really good deal on the gun buck. I paid $275 for a shoulder mount. I think that was a friend price though, as the guy who did it is long time friends with my wife's uncle and we took it in together. It looks absolutely great.

I really like the look of the European mounts, and now that I've done a few of them I'm getting my technique down a bit better... and anyone who knows me knows that the cheaper I can get something done the more likely I am to take that route.

I've been thinking about saving even the doe skulls and having my wife try painting on them. I think they'd make cool gifts for family and friends, and she may even be able to sell them at craft fairs and such... I'm sure I'd have to check the laws on selling things like that first though.

Whatever you decide to do with your 2nd buck, congrats on an awesome season!

"When a hunter is in a tree stand with high moral values and with the proper hunting ethics and richer for the experience, that hunter is 20 feet closer to God." ~Fred Bear

A number of years ago I shot an 8 pointer that I wanted to have mounted, but money was tight at the time so I cut the antlers off with the skull plate intact. 3 years later, I had the money to have the taxidermy done, talked to a couple of taxidermists, one of whom had some extra capes. Cost $40 more for the cape. Just another option.Great deer hunting season for you. Bet you slept well that night.

Congrats on two beautiful bucks! A season (or four days!) to remember for sure. Love the pictures also. I like to see when people take time to get some great photos. Although not inexpensive (around $500), Jordans taxidermy in punxsutawney is one of the best in the country. Ive had 3 deer done by him and they are a cut above the rest. There is a reason this guy runs a taxidermy school and has a steady class full of eager to learn students. I do like the idea of saving the antlers and having it mounted at a later date. But that only works when you dont need one done the next year which hopefully is not the case!

I bit the bullet and took Number 2 to the taxidermist last night. I probably would not have mounted Number 2 if it weren't for the fact that he was my second 10-point in two days, he's a great buck for around here, and it would be so nice to put them both on the same wall. He's not as big as "Big Bad John" (we're calling Number 1 "Big Bad John" because he was so "broad at the shoulders and narrow at the hips."

Anyway, I promised my wife I'd sell off some stuff to pay for Number 2, so it might be a good idea to watch eBay. Now, I have a few months to convince her about where I want to hang them.

Steve.

When the Everyday Hunter isn't hunting, he's thinking about hunting, talking about hunting, dreaming about hunting, writing about hunting, or wishing he were hunting.